A Love Beyond Death
by miamijuggler
Summary: After Sephiroth and Holy, Cloud still feels a void in his heart that he can't ignore, despite his best efforts. Please read and review!
1. Chapter One

A Love Beyond Death

A Final Fantasy VII Fan Fiction

Author's Note:

This is my second fanfic, and I wrote it for a very personal reason: I am very perturbed that Square implied that Cloud ended up with Tifa at the end of the game. I always felt that Cloud should have either (1), ended up with Aeris, or (2), not been so "friendly" with Tifa. This is my psychological justification of that failure. I can finally lay this issue to rest now that I've finished this fanfic.

Now, I have tried diligently to stay within the paradigm that Square has outlined for the game. It has always irritated me that other fanfic authors make assumptions that Square never detailed and that seem out of character. I deviate from this statement in one respect: the town of Kalm is a major setting in this fanfic, and I have made it a more dynamic town, instead of a cluster of buildings gathered around a fountain. I thought that the latter image of Kalm was rather unrealistic, though I admit it worked extremely well in terms of the game.

One more thing: I absolutely _love_ hearing what my readers think. Please leave a review and let me know what you think. I know it's a bit long, but I've seen longer fics out there. Also, I never really intended it to be any particular length, but I just wrote the story the way it was in my head, and it just turned out this way. So please, if there are some parts that are a little boring, grit your teeth through them, it _does_ get better towards the end (at least I think so).

So without further ado, here it is, and enjoy.

Author's NOTE: UPDATE!! April 2, 2008

I promise this won't take long before we get to the actual story, but I just did a mass update to the way the story is displayed ( is getting a bit more fascist when it comes to the formatting and displaying of documents). Again, I didn't really change any of the text, I just overhauled the scene breaks and made the story easier to read. However, it meant that a bunch of Emails went out to those who have alerts set for this story when I updated each chapter, so I just wanted to apologize for sending you a flood of Emails, when nothing actually changed significantly.

In any case, have fun, and hopefully this will stabilize at some point, so I won't have to keep doing this.

Oh, and something I forgot to include the last time: All characters and settings copyright Square-Enix, etc. No copyright infringement intended. This was (and is) just for fun.

-.-

Chapter One

Cloud's heart was beating wildy, but his mind was calm, focused. His entire being was focused on one event: would it work ? Could the lifestream, together with Holy, stop Meteor ? It was a perfect struggle between life versus death. The moment hung in the balance of eternity, his heartbeat thudding in his ears.

His eyes screamed in pain as everything flashed bright white. His hands involuntarily let go of the railing and covered his eyes. Shortly after, his friends' vocalizations of pain were drowned out by a low roar which pushed its way into his ears. The Highwind bucked viciously and he was thrown from his feet. Cloud reflexively reached out to catch himself, but there was no ground where it was supposed to be. The Highwind twisted in the split second Cloud was in the air, and Cloud was thrown against the inside of the starboard wall. He felt a jarring pain as his elbow and shoulder connected with the wall, and burning scrapes as his slid slowly down it, to the floor, still under the control of massive g-forces as the Highwind bucked and twisted, almost out of control.

Almost out of control, only because Cid had taken the precaution to lash himself to the navigation console. There he battled the controls, trying desperately to maneuver out of the shockwave the exploding Meteor had produced. He had to find someway to stabilize the craft enough so that he could punch the throttle to the max, and get air flowing over the wings again. The view out of the front window of the bridge changed alternately from the night sky to the glowing green of lifestream that covered the land, and back again. The hull around him creaked and groaned with the strain of the shockwave. Glancing at the instruments, Cid noticed that they were losing altitude fast. He had one chance: he had to stabilze the Highwind the same way gyros kept themselves stable.

Cid wrenched the controls to the right, as far as it could go. All Cid could do now is hope that the shockwave wouldn't tear off a wing, or rudder, or stabilizer. Though, through some miracle of wind currents, the Highwind began to roll to the right, and the barrel roll pulled the craft into a stable flight pattern. The shockwave's effects were for the moment gone. Cid immediately pulled the Highwind out of the barrel roll, levelled with the horizon, and punched the throttle. He had a mere fraction of a second to notice the windmill in their path. He threw his weight backward against the controls, pulling up on the nose. He saw that they were going to hit.

Somehow, they didn't. _Holy shit, that was close, _Cid thought.

Whether it was a matter of inches, or a mere sending of the gods, Cid would never know. He was thankful nonetheless as he piloted the Highwind north, at top speed, away from the blast. Miraculously, his cigarette he had started in the Northern Crater was still in his mouth. He took a long and calming drag on it, and upon realizing that the cigarette was almost out, used it to light up a second. Only then did he pause to mop the sweat from his brow.

After the Highwind was safely grounded on the beach north of Midgar, Cloud looked around to make sure everyone was all right. Aside from previous wounds from the recent battle, and a few scrapes and bruises from the rough flight, everyone was fine. Barret was cursing at his gunarm, which had all but shattered during the course of the flight. Cid was busy inspecting the exterior of his craft. Tifa sat huddled in a corner, still trying to get a grip on her fear. Red XIII was limping about, carrying supplies out of the Highwind, and out onto the grass. Vincent stood solitary on the beach, facing the waves and tending to a wound on his shoulder. Yuffie had fainted, but was otherwise unharmed, and was now lying on the grass next to Tifa. Cait Sith was carefully tinkering with his Mog suit, as it wasn't functioning properly after the bumpy ride. Cloud looked around, unsure of what to do next, when the realization hit him.

_It's over….._

_There's nothing for me to do._

_It's finally over. Sephiroth is dead, Meteor is averted, and everyone's okay._

_It's over, and we're all okay. _

Cloud's strength left him. He slumped back against the hull of the

Highwind as his knees buckled and he sank to the floor. And when his body came to rest against the soft, cool grass, and the warm, humming hull, he put his head in his hands, and softly began to weep.

_It's over, it's over, it's all over…._

His shoulders shook uncontrollably with the massive sobs that wracked Cloud's body. He wept for Zack. He wept for Bugenhagen. He wept for the Cetra. He wept for Midgar. He wept for the planet. He wept for the past that was not his. But most of all, he wept for Aeris.

As he wept, Cloud felt his exhaustion, kept for so long at bay because of neccessity, come over him. He felt the tiredness seep into his bones, he let go his guard, feeling his ever-alert muscles go limp. Cloud fell gratefully into the arms of sleep.

-.-

Tifa, also realizing that it was over, looked over at Cloud, their fearless leader. Cloud was leaning up against the side of the airship, his shoulders sagged in a resting posture, his head turned slightly to one side, and his expression peacefully neutral. His features were highlighted in red by the setting sun.

Tifa got up and started over towards Cloud, when she felt a heavy hand on her shoulder.

"Let the man rest, Tifa," Barret said quietly, "He deserves it. More than any of us, I think."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," Tifa replied sadly.

Tifa's heart felt a lot lighter now that everything was done and over with. No more of the fearful nights broken up by camp watches. No more rushing blindly into situations you didn't think you were going to live through. No more waking up from pleasant dreams of peace into the harsh reality. The exhaustion of months of battle was getting to her too, now. But she still had the energy to move inside the Highwind, and find her cot. They could all use some rest.

-.-

Cloud floated back up into half-consciousness, and lay there awhile with his eyes closed. He took moments like these often before he really got up. They were his few minutes of peace before he got out of bed and went to back into the battle against Sephiroth. A warm, gentle breeze played across his face, tickling it with a few strands of loose hair.

_Hunh ? Where am I ?_

Cloud had to force his eyelids open, as they had adhered together with the drying of tears. His glowing, mako green eyes looked out upon the ocean, sparkling in the midmorning sun. Cloud panicked, looking around him. Not registering the airship in its new form, nor the open hatch to his left. He instinctively reached over his shoulder for his sword, which wasn't there. Fear gripped his heart for a moment before he recognized the shape of Red XIII sitting in the grass not far from him. All the events of the past day flooded back into memory. He relaxed considerably.

What could only be a calm smile played across Red XIII's wolfish features.

"We were wondering when you would wake. Come, the others are waiting," he said, and walked up the ramp into the airship.

Cloud pushed himself to his feet, and groaned at the stiff pain in his back and neck. Groggily he sauntered into the Highwind, its crew was gathered on the bridge, eating a late breakfast. They all looked up and smiled contentedly as he walked in, though no one said anything.

"How long have I been out ?" Cloud asked.

"'Bout fifteen hours," Cid said, looking over at the clock on the navigation console.

Cloud shook his head in only partial disbelief. Seeing the food, he realized he was also famished. He sat down near Barret, grabbing himself a packet of the meal rations they had purchased three weeks ago.

"I hope this is the last time I have to eat one of these," Cloud muttered.

"Damn right," Barret agreed.

They ate in silence, each deep in their own soliloquy. Surprisingly, it was Vincent who asked the question on everybody's minds.

"So, Cloud, what now ?"

Cloud hesitated, put down his stale sandwhich, and looked up.

"I really don't know. I never really expected to live through all this. I suppose I never really had a plan for after because I didn't think there was going to be an 'after'."

"You mean you thought Sephiroth was going to win the whole time ?" Cait Sith chimed in.

"Not exactly, because I didn't think of it in those terms. It was more like, you can die having given up, or you can die trying to do something, anything about Sephiroth. I just didn't want to go quietly. If I'm going to go, I'm still going to fight it."

"Yo' spikey-headed ass is too damn stubborn," Barret laughed, and they all laughed along.

_How long has it been since we've all laughed ?_ Cloud thought absently.

_Too long._ _But now we can laugh again. Now everything's going to be okay._

But part of him was missing something. After all he'd been through, he still hadn't forgotten. He hadn't forgotten how beautiful she was, or how she made him feel.

_Good question: What now ? What am I supposed to do now ? What am I supposed to do without you, Aeris ?_


	2. Chapter Two

- Chapter Two -

Aeris's eyes shot open, and she sucked in a deep breath of air, as if waking from a horrible dream. She looked about her, confused.

_I'm supposed to be dead. What happened ?I felt Sephiroth's blade go through me, I felt Holy slip away from me. I'm supposed to be part of the lifestream now._

Aeris found herself alone in a small bedroom, the bedframe and other accoutrements fashioned from a pearly white substance almost crystalline in structure. She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed she had been laying on. She noticed her dress had a huge blood stain on the front and back of it, spilling towards one side. She briefly undid the buttons on her dress, and found the skin below unmarked.

_Not even a scar, _she wondered,_ but how can this be ? _

Quickly she buttoned her dress again and stood up, heading for the door. Upon turning the ornate handle and stepping outside, Aeris stood agape.

She was still in the subterranean city of the Cetra, where she thought she had died, but there was lifestream everywhere. It was swirling all around. It was almost brighter than daylight. A small tendril reached out to her, and brushed her cheek.

_You're awake._ She heard it say, and somehow, she felt it smile, even though it didn't have a face.

"Y…Yes….I am. But how ?" her brows knitted with concern, "I died, didn't I ?"

The lifestream made a slow, sinuous spiral around her body.

_Yes. Yes, you did die, but did you really think that the planet would let the last Cetra die so easily ? Who would we talk to, without the Cetra ?_

"We ?" Aeris was curious.

_To put it in your terms, "I". Perhaps "I" would make more sense, since it is only one voice the planet uses. But since the lifestream is a collection of all that ever is, was, and will be, "we" is a more accurate term, don't you think ?_

"Yes, I suppose so," Aeris blushed slightly, she had always had empathic communication with the planet before, but never a conversation. Only few Cetra ever had, from what she could remember. What _could_ she remember ?

She remembered praying for Holy, trying to explain the situation to the planet in the simple terms of emotions. She remembered tuning out the voices of her friends. And she remembered all too well the sickening feeling of cold steel entering her back and exiting her abdomen. Her concentration shattered, Aeris had tried to call out, but her lungs weren't working. Her eyes focused for a second on Cloud, standing before her with his sword out, hatred in his eyes for the person standing behind her. She knew in that moment that Cloud held such hatred for only one person: Sephiroth. She remembered the sharp, burning pain as her balance failed, and she slipped slowly off the tip of Sephiroth's blade. Pain became her world, then, and her vision slowly began to dim. The last thing she remembered was being gathered up in Cloud's arms, and thinking bitterly how wonderful that would be under different circumstances.

The lifestream smiled again.

_Go find him, if you want. _

Aeris was slightly embarrassed, having her feelings known to the planet. Yes, she _did_ want to go find him, but would he want to be found ? Why should he still long for her ? In his mind she was dead, and had probably gone to Tifa for comfort and love. What had they shared ? One date during a time of great emotional upheaval. One date that never had any real romantic consequences. Yet she couldn't just forget about him, could she ?

_I musn't hope for too much,_ Aeris thought,_ I shall look for him, but I will not expect to find him. If I do, then I will worry about that when the time comes._

An opening appeared in the green fog of the lifestream, a kind of tunnel leading to the base of the crystal staircase which spiralled towards the surface. Her heart suddenly grew heavy. She had only this one chance.

She turned back to face the part of the lifestream which had spoken to her.

"Thank you, I suppose, for, if nothing else, this opportunity."

She didn't know what she would do if she couldn't find Cloud. But she had to try.

And so, with pain in her heart, Aeris slowly put one foot in front of the other, and ascended the crystal stairway.

-.-

The cold breeze that swirled around Aeris as she stepped outside foreshadowed the coming autumn. This far north, even the summers weren't entirely warm.

Aeris walked around the edge of the small pond in front of the shell house, when a glint of light caught her eye. There was something there. It was difficult to make out, but Aeris definitely saw something tall and thin sticking out of the ground on the other side of the pond. Her eyes grew wide with amazement as she drew nearer. It was her staff.

Reaching out slowly, carefully, as if she half-expected it to jump out and bite her, Aeris plucked her staff out of the ground. The end that had been stuck in the ground was caked with dried mud, which she brushed off with a small, deft movement of her left hand.

She stood there holding it for a while, the familiar weight in her hands bringing back a flood of memories. The steel had only slightly tarnished due to the elements, and Aeris was already thinking of how much she would enjoy polishing it back to its original shine and luster. She smiled inwardly as she began the long walk to the archaeological dig site.

-.-

"Please tell me what's wrong, Cloud," Tifa pleaded for what must've been the hundredth time.

Cloud's head snapped up for where he had been sitting alone, lost in thought. He had stopped trying to deny to Tifa that anything was wrong. But she was the one person that he couldn't talk to. Unfortunately, she was also the most persistent. That being so, he just remained silent this time.

"We're all worried about you. We just want to know if you're all right."

"I'll be fine," Cloud said. _I'm going to have to be,_ he thought.

Cloud got up and decided that they had dawdled and rested for long enough, and it was time to move on. He brushed past Tifa and confronted the rest of his friends who were gathered on the bridge.

"A couple days ago, Vincent brought up a good point: what do we do now?" Cloud began, "As I see it, we have to decide if we all want to stay together from now on, or if we each want to go our separate ways. We have collected enough gil to keep us each in modest comfort for the rest of our lives, either together or separate. I know there's some things I need to take care of, by myself, and I can only assume that you all have similar duties. However, we've been through a lot together, and I think it would be sad if we all lost this friendship. So now I ask all of you, what do _you_ want to do ?"

There was a moment of silence as the band of friends thought over the rest of their lives.

Barret's basso voice resonated throughout the bridge.

"I think, after all the shit we been through, we should stick together."

"Yeah, I mean, we're like family now," Cait Sith chimed in.

Cloud looked around. Yes, like family now. He wasn't just looking at friends anymore. He was looking at family as they nodded their agreement.

"Then we should each get dropped off in our respective places, and Cid will go around a week later and pick us all up, and we'll all figure out where to go from there."

"Sure thing, boss," Cid said.

"Okay, then, let's move out!"

-.-

Aeris found her way to the bow of the ship, and stood there, letting the sea breeze fuel her thoughts. A kind of soulful depression came over her, as she assessed her resources and what she had to do.

She had nothing, really. Only the few gil in her pocket that she had after paying for her fare to Kalm, the clothes she was wearing, and her staff. But that was enough, wasn't it ? She had survived on less before. And now, thanks to Cloud, she was much better with her staff, and could always wander the countryside, defeating monsters for their gil. And if all else failed, she could always sell flowers. If she could find any…

All the talk she overheard on board was of the coming of Meteor, and how it had been averted. She smiled inwardly to herself. So they _had_ done it. They had succeeded. Together, the had saved the planet, and in return, the planet had given her her life back. She felt a little guilty, since there were so many more that died because of Sephiroth. She also heard that Meteor had caused just enough damage to destroy Shinra permanently, so she didn't have to worry about the massive corporation always being after her.

All in all, despite her lack of financial support, she was rather well off. Almost as well off as before she died.

A few rowdy sailors interrupted her thoughts as they ambled around the front of the ship. One of them catcalled her and winked, even though she was turned away. She traveled under a pseudonym, who was supposedly on an "archaeological expedition into the forest," instead of the usual dig site. Of course, no one knew of the forest expedition, and was much intrigued by her stories of what they found.

Yet now, as the ship bounced along on top of the waves, she found herself eager to reach Kalm.


	3. Chapter Three

- Chapter Three -

"Take care of yourself, Yuffie, and we'll see you in a week," Cloud said as he stepped back aboard the Highwind.

"Bye ! Have fun !" she responded cheerfully over the rising whine of the massive engines.

The boarding hatch closed, and the Highwind lifted off and roared into the distance, leaving Yuffie in a somewhat lonely silence for a moment. She brushed a strand of hair out of her face, and turned to where she could see the rooftops of Wutai just over the hill. She smiled and scampered lightly through the tall, wind-swept grasses towards the town.

-.-

"Now there's one thing I haven't figgered out yet," Cid said from the controls as they sped eastward.

"And what's that ?" Cloud retorted, coming once again out of his deep reverie.

"Is where _you_ wanted to go."

Cloud's heart skipped a beat. He would have to tell him anyway, Cid was the only one that could take him there. And Red XIII, who was the last remaining passenger besides themselves, well, Red probably already knew anyway. Cloud smiled slightly at the ferocious beast's sensitivity towards others. All he had to do was look into Red's old, wise eyes to see that Red knew. Red XIII knew what Cloud had to do.

"I want to go see Aeris."

Saying her name stung at his heart. An acidic pain that lingered, and only faded slowly. Cid was silent for a while, thinking about it.

"Sure thing, boss. I always meant to pay my respects, as well…" but Cid knew that Cloud was going for a different reason than his own.

The deck tilted gently to the left as Cid swung the craft northward.

Red XIII sat in silence.

-.-

They disembarked into the cold north wind. The hull creaked slightly as the wind whipped through the narrow valley. Cloud stood unmoving, staring at the stone rooftops and petrified trees in the distance. A slightly sickening feeling settled in Cloud's stomach, and only after a moment did he realize it was fear.

_What are you afraid of ? _Cloud demanded of himself.

Nevertheless, he clutched his Ultima sword tightly as he walked with the others toward the City of the Ancients.

He looked blankly down at his feet as his boots clomped along the segmented stone pathway. This was something he had to do. Even during the long struggle with Sephiroth, he had never really come to terms with Aeris's death. She had seemed so alive, so vibrant, that she made his life seem dull by comparison. She made him seem lifeless. But now, she was the lifeless one. And he ? Was he alive ? Could he live without her now that she was gone ? Definitely. But would it be a life worth living ? The past few days had found him introverted and melancholy, and not once when he was lost in thought was he trying to piece together his fractured past. Now that Sephiroth was gone, his focus, or rather, his distraction was gone, and all those weeks of what should have been mourning were catching up to him now.

Red XIII gasped and stopped in his tracks.

"What is it, Red ?" Cloud asked.

Red sniffed the air for a second, and then moved on.

"Nothing. Just a trick of the wind."

As they passed under the first of great boughs into the grove of petrified trees at the center of the city, Cloud noticed his palms were sweating. His heart thudded loudly in his chest. He took a deep breath in an effort to control himself. He looked straight ahead, focusing on the glint of dim sunlight off the surface of the small lake.

As they walked, Cloud remembered the last time he was here. He remembered his numbness as he waded into the lake. He remembered the weight of her head on his shoulder, her body limp in his arms. He remembered placing her still form into the cool waters, and having to tear himself away, trying not to splash on his way out of the lake. He remembered marking her grave, firmly embedding her staff near the edge of the lake in one violent paroxysm. And then running away.

_Like a coward would run away,_ he thought bitterly.

They drew nearer, and Cloud still couldn't pick out the staff he had placed to mark her grave. His brows furrowed slightly with concern.

Cloud strode into the immediate vicinity, and was thoroughly confused.

The staff simply wasn't there.

"What the…?" Cid trailed off.

Cloud was staring at the hole in the ground where the staff had been.

_There are no monsters here, and no one ever comes here. Who would take it ?_

"I don't understand it, but I think you should see this, Cloud," Red XIII was crouched over a spot on the ground a few yards away.

Cloud went over, and saw something that made his heart stop.

A footprint. A print of a boot, relatively small, but clearly outlined in the fresh dirt. Cloud knew that footprint. He had seen it once before, under the feet of a beautiful girl selling flowers.

"Her scent is all over the place, Cloud," Red XIII said quietly, looking up at Cloud.

Cloud's world spun.

_No, it can't be. You're dreaming. Again. You're dreaming again, and any second you're going to wake up. Don't let yourself hope to much. There's no way. _No way _! It can't be, could it ?_

Cloud collapsed, clattering to the ground like a bundle of staves.

Cid walked over to Cloud's fainted form and tried waking him up. Red XIII sat patiently nearby. Slowly, Cloud came to.

"You better be careful, boss. I've never seen anyone so head over heels for a girl."

"Whatever…" Cloud said, standing up and brushing himself off, "Let's get out of here."

"Aren't you going to…" Cid began.

"I said let's get out of here !"

Cloud had a difficult time keeping his thoughts straight on the walk back to the Highwind.


	4. Chapter Four

- Chapter Four -

Aeris stopped for a second and closed her eyes, drinking in the warm sunlight. The people bustled by her on the docks, without so much as a glance in her direction as they rushed to attack returning loved ones with hugs and warm welcomes. Though she had not been seasick, it felt good to have solid ground beneath her feet again, that didn't shift and sway with the currents.

She was hungry, and decided to use the remainder of her gil to buy something to eat so that she could have the strength to go out and fight monsters for some more gil. She walked along the docks into the center of Kalm, and finding a suitable inn, sat down to eat.

-.-

Cloud stood on the bridge of the Highwind, his lips tightly set, and his hands tightly gripping the guard railing. His mind was desperately trying to explain the footprint. The missing staff he could deal with. It was the footprint that was so dangerous to his fragile state of mind. He stared out at the clouds whooshing past, and the sunlight glinting off the ocean below as he tried to rationalize what he had seen.

It _had_ to be her. But it _couldn't_ be, she was dead. She couldn't have come back to life…could she ? After all he had seen in the past couple months, with the lifestream, and saving the planet, and learning about Jenova, and Mako, and his ties with Sephiroth, _was_ it all that impossible ? Was it ?

_Cloud, get a hold of yourself. You're letting yourself hope for the impossible, and it's going to hurt ten times as bad as it does now when you don't find her. Don't let yoursef believe that it's possible. _

Red XIII came up and sat down next to Cloud.

"It's not entirely impossible," he said.

"That is precisely what I don't need to hear right now," Cloud responded coldly.

"In fact, in this situation, it might almost be likely."

"Why are you telling me this ? So that I'll suffer even more when I can't find her ? So that I'll live the rest of my life searching for someone that doesn't exist anymore ?"

"I'm telling you this because I want you to go and find her. And I want you to go and find her for two reasons: the first, I know that you'll never truly be happy unless you find her, or spend your life looking for her," Red XIII said.

Cloud hesitated, realizing the truth in his friend's words.

"And the second reason ?"

Red XIII sighed, "Because I believe she _is _alive. I don't know how, or why, but I believe she is alive, and that she's looking for you."

Cloud shook his head and tried to keep the hope from flooding his being. He remained silent, turning things over again in his mind, and eventually Red XIII left Could to himself.

-.-

Aeris sat down, leaning up against the trunk of a large tree, and quietly took out her midday meal. As she stared pensively out over the quiet expanse of peaceful landscape, munching on the biscuits and smoked meat, she realized she had eeked out a pretty decent existence in the past two days.

Never wandering far from Kalm, she had managed to earn enough gil each day to keep her in respectable food and lodging, with enough left over to buy herself a new set of clothes, along with a decent cloak for the coming winter. And though the work was grueling, and potentially dangerous, she enjoyed it… it reminded her of her days with Cloud. She smiled softly as she remembered him. His subtle cockiness, his determination. His innate ability to see what had to be done, and then following through and doing it.

She felt a familiar presence approach in the back of her mind. It was the planet communicating with her again. Apparently, her times of conversing with the planet verbally were over. It was back to the way she was used to communicating with the planet, via a sending and receiving of certain feelings.

She sent the planet a feeling of welcoming inquisitiveness, as to why it had come to "talk" to her.

She received a feeling in return that she most equated with "Just checking up on you."

She sent back positive vibes, indicative of progress.

To her amazement, she felt the planet smile. She smiled back. It had been a very long time since she had felt the peculiar warmth that was the planet's smile.

She sent a questioning feeling, attatched to a mental picture of Cloud. She wanted to know if the planet had any news on him.

A slow rumble started in her heart, and gradually expanded, becoming a bright, warm, pulsing tremor, shaking her entire being, making her arms and shoulders shake rhythmically, much like...laughter. The planet was laughing. Not a mocking, caustic laughter, but a heartwarming, loving laughter. A planet laughing not out of humor, but out of pure joy and happiness. The planet's presence began receding from Aeris's mind.

Even though the planet hadn't responded to her question about Cloud, it's laughter left her joyous. A broad grin was stamped on Aeris's face. The thought that the planet was no longer in danger caused a warm blanket of relief to settle around her heart.

She finished chewing her last piece of jerky, picked up her staff, and started heading back to Kalm, where she would find a warm room and a comfortable bed waiting for her at the inn.

-.-

The early morning mist swirled around Cloud, chilling him to the bone as he strode through the central square of Nibelheim. A cold laughter echoed off the mountain walls surrounding the small town. It was impossible to tell where it came from.

Without knowing why, Cloud ran towards the front gates of the town, the fog obscuring everything beyond ten feet. Underneath the scrolled ironwork archway, Cloud could make out two figures. One, kneeling, looked female, with her hands bound behind her back. The other, standing off to the right, stood tall, wearing a dark coat and holding a long, curved sword.

Cloud didn't need to look to see who the female was.

"If you don't want me to kill her, I suggest you stop moving," the darkly clad figure intoned.

Cloud stopped in his tracks, hesitated for a moment, and then lowered his eyes in defeat.

"Okay, Sephiroth, you win. I'll do whatever you want. Just don't hurt her. Nothing matters to me anymore, except her. You've won, just don't hurt her."

Cloud looked up just in time to hear the whooshing of Sephiroth's blade, and watched Aeris's head tumble to the floor, her eyes looking at Cloud with a pleading expression, as if to say "Why did you just let me die ?"

Aeris's body tipped forward and hit the ground with a sickening thud.

Cloud shot awake, breathing hard.

He was sweating profusely, and the sheets were crumpled up in a corner of the bed.

_Just a dream. _He thought, _just that stupid dream again. Thank god it was. _

He couldn't go on like this. It was the third time he'd had the dream, and the third time he'd shot awake, shivering with fear. He looked outside. It was almost noon. As soon as he'd gotten his shaking limbs under control, Cloud pulled on his clothing and slipped into his boots. He knew what he had to do.

He stood for a while in front of his Ultima sword, which now hung vertically on the wall of his small room. His eyes roaming over the worn handle with whose grip he had slain so many monsters. Down the tapered and razor-sharp edges, that somehow never needed sharpening, with which he had drawn Sephiroth's lifeblood, and destroyed him forever. Now, as he took the sword off the wall, the familiar weight feeling somewhat comfortable in his hands, memories flooded back to him of how the translucent blades crackled with unearthly energy, destroying anything that stood in his path. He remembered how he had used that power towards good. Keeping that thought well in mind, Cloud swung the sword around his shoulder and slipped it into his bandolier.

He opened the door and trudged downstairs.

Grabbing a few supplies, and packing them into a bag, Cloud walked out the door of the inn he and his friends were now running and repairing in Nibelheim. Quietly, and without notice by any of his friends, Cloud left his hometown to seek out the one thing that still really mattered to him.


	5. Chapter Five

- Chapter Five -

The gravel crunched under his boots as he made his way westward across the empty plains. The wind was almost cold, sweeping across the flat landscape. The leather bandolier creaked with each step under the heavy weight of the massive Ultima sword, but his mako-enhanced muscles didn't feel the weight at all. Even after his hours of constant walking, each muscle contraction yielded another, and another. Tirelessly Cloud trekked across the wilderness. Still searching, ever searching.

_Red was right,_ he thought, _I _am_ happier out here, looking for her, than I was back in Nibelheim, helping in the restoration effort. At least I can find a little peace out here. _

He crested the top of another rolling hill, the setting sun shining in his face like a flaming ruby. Up ahead, he saw another valley, and after that, another hill, and a valley, and a hill. It didn't look like it would ever end. But as his eyes followed the road up to where it met the horizon, a barely recognizable silhouette gave away the presence of civilization.

_Kalm._

He smiled.

Cloud didn't like walking at night, but he wouldn't be travelling in the dark for too long, and the moon, full and bright, was already on the rise behind him, as the last sliver of sun sank below the horizon.

-.-

Aeris unlocked the door to the small room she had been able to rent at the Inn in Kalm and hurried inside. The nights were beginning to get downright cold. She threw back her hood as she closed the door and set her groceries on the narrow yet comfortable bed. She shrugged out of her cloak, hung it on a peg near the door, and stooped to open the vent that let heat up from the blazing fire down in the common room.

The quarters were cramped, but not uncomfortable, and it had been all she could afford. It had also been all she needed. The small room was located in a section of the attic, usually only used in the busy season as an emergency room. However, now in the off season, it went for a mere twenty-five gil a night. The cheapest room anywhere, according to the innkeeper.

With the last of her errands done for the day, Aeris finally had some time to herself. She sat down on the bed and leaned up against the wall, wrapping her arms around one knee and staring at the ceiling. She let out a long, tired sigh.

_What am I doing ? I'm never going to find him. I'm looking for a needle in a haystack. And that needle may not even want to be found. He may already be happily settled with Tifa. Also, he thinks I'm dead, how will he react when (and if) he sees me. Why am I even doing this ? It's such an impossibly slim chance. There's very little hope of even finding him, much less that he'll want to be with me. Why am I doing this ?_

_Why ?_

She knew the answer.

_Because it's all I have left._

A single tear managed to escape her left eye and trickle down her cheek.

_I'm supposed to be dead. They all think I'm dead. Yuffie, Barret, Tifa, Vincent, Cait Sith, Red XIII, Cid, and Cloud were the only family I had left. And now, to them I'm dead. I'm...I'm all alone. _

She let her head drop so that her forehead rested on her knee, as she let salty tears of loneliness stream down her face.

And so, Aeris sat alone in her room, as the sounds of her sorrow echoed coldly off of stark, ignorant walls, where no one would hear them, and no one would care.

-.-

The night wind whipped around Cloud, numbing his hands, feet, nose, and ears, as he strode through the gates of Kalm. All he wanted now was someplace warm where he could sleep. The cold weather had tired him out, as his body used most of its energy just to stay warm.

It had been a while since he had been to Kalm, and he had to think for a moment where the inn was.

Turning the corner, the door of the inn beckoned to him, radiating a warm light through the three small windows set into the top of the door. Pushing through it with numb fingers he met a handsome woman in her late thirties sitting behind as counter, who introduced herself as the innkeeper.

"Well, you're coming in awfully late," she said without looking up from the silverware she was polishing, "come right in. You must be freezing."

Cloud breathed a sigh of relief and allowed himself a smile as the warmth from the fireplace began seeping into him.

"Thank you,"

"Oh !" the innkeeper exlaimed when she saw his gigantic sword, "You're..."

She hesitated.

"Cloud ?" he supplied for her.

"Oh... okay," was all she said.

"Are there still rooms available ?"

"Of course. This time of year, there are _always_ rooms available. It'll be one hundred gil a night. Let me show you to to your room."

With that, she put down the silverware, got up off her stool and came around the counter. Cloud's fingers tingled with returning warmth. Winding through several tables and chairs, the innkeeper climbed up the staircase at the back of the common room, with Cloud in tow. Anxious to get some sleep, Cloud didn't pay much attention to the innkeeper, who was calmly chatting with him, without much response. Finally, she opened the door to a room at the end of the hallway and handed him the key.

Cloud smiled and thanked her as he stepped into the room and closed the door. It was some effort to get his boots off, his numb fingers having trouble with the laces. Cloud didn't bother to take off any of his other clothes as he slipped underneath the heavy blanket, and into the arms of sleep.


	6. Chapter Six

- Chapter Six -

Downstairs in the common room, Aeris ordered a warm breakfast to start off her day. It was still relatively early, and not many people were out and about yet. The common room was empty except for a quiet lad of about eighteen who was wiping down the bar.

She had this one last day to prepare before she left Kalm early the next morning.

As she began to eat, some of her fears came back to her.

_What if I don't find him ? What if he's with Tifa ?_

Those foreboding questions echoed around inside her head, unsettling her will. But she put her fears at bay with pure determination.

_You'll never know if you don't get out there and find out. You'll drive yourself nuts if you keep asking yourself questions like that._

She set her fork down and got up to pay the bill. As she was walking over to the innkeeper, she heard the clomping of boots coming down the stairs. She hesitated, looking to see who was coming downstairs.

Abruptly, the footsteps stopped, paused, and went back upstairs.

Aeris turned around again and paid the innkeeper.

With a feeling that told her she had just missed something important, she opened the door and walked outside.

The morning air was brisk and refreshing, but it looked like it would warm up to be a really nice day. Aeris hustled out to the market place. There was still much she had to do.

-.-

Cloud woke up groggily, and rolled himself out of bed. His stomach grumbled a message of discontent. He put his boots on and walked out into the hallway, still half asleep. As he began to clomp down the stairs, he noticed that he had forgotten to lock the door to his room, and had forgotten to take the key with him. He paused, halfway down the stairs, and looked in a mirror that hung on the wall to his left.

He looked like hell. Thinking better of it, Cloud decided to delay his hunger and take a shower first. With that, Cloud turned around and clomped back up the stairs.

-.-

Aeris stuffed the package of dried meat into her new backpack along with the flatbread and cheese she had bought. She had enough to last her a week, maybe more if she found a source of food in the wild, or a small town along her way.

It had taken her a lot longer than she had anticipated to find all the shops where she could purchase the items she needed. And, as it usually turned out, they were probably all the way across town. It was going to be a long day.

-.-

Letting the hot water ease the tension out of his weary muscles, Cloud closed his eyes and tried to relax a bit.

_I've been riding myself a bit too hard. It might not be a bad idea to take a day off. Just one day wouldn't hurt the search for someone who might not even exist, and probably doesn't. Besides, I'm running kind of low on supplies. I can probably get everything I need here in Kalm, the port of Midgar. Take a break, Cloud; running yourself to death won't help you find her any quicker._

Once he had toweled off and dressed, Cloud finally attended to his ever-complaining stomach. He mentally counted off the items he needed as he wolfed down a huge breakfast.

_Food (of some sort), a new tent (the old one has a hole in it), a patch for my bandolier, and some soap._

His hunger satisfied, Cloud got up and paid the young man behind the counter, adding in a healthy tip. Then was on his way to run his errands.

-.-

"Well, you take this street straight east for two blocks, and then make a right. Take that street till you reach the main square, and go straight through the main square to the other side, and down that street, maybe another block or two, should be a place where you can buy water skins. It's called The Wayfarer's Call, and it should be on the left side of the street."

"Thank you," Aeris smiled graciously, "you've been a great help."

"No problem, I know how confusing this town can be," the old man smiled and continued on his way.

Aeris thanked him again and looked down the street she was supposed to take. It looked oddly intimidating, the way the road snaked and twisted through buildings that seemed too close together. She sighed with tiredness, and started down the road.

Eventually she did turn right on the correct road, because she saw the main square up ahead, bustling with people.

-.-

Cloud munched thoughtfully on a piece of fruit as he strode along the streets of Kalm. He didn't really remember where all the shops were, and he figured he would just wander around, and he would eventually find them. He had been doing that for the past hour and a half, with only minimal success. Eventually, he had decided just to head for the main square, and work his way out from there.

The street he was on led straight there, though his pace was slow and relaxed as he finished the remains of his fruit.

-.-

Aeris wound her way among the various currents of people that inhabited the main square. The noise approached a soft din, with the vendors crying their wares, the colorful splatter of water from the fountain, and people chatting and bartering for a better price.

She slowed her pace and let her eyes roam over some of the items in the multicolored booths that lined the square.

-.-

Emerging from between two buildings, Cloud entered the square, and stood for a second, surveying the scene before him. The people bustled by him, without so much a glance in his direction, lost either in their own thoughts, or in pleasant conversation with a friend or acquaintance. A soft green glow of small orbs indicated a materia vendor, a glint of steel gave away the presence of an arms dealer. A soft spicy odour told him that he was standing next to a peddler of cured meat. He looked down at his prices, which were reasonable.

When he looked up again, towards the opposite side of the square, his eyes met...

-.-

Aeris looked down at the price of a cure potion.

_It might be a good idea in case of an emergency._

Not even bothering to haggle, she handed the vendor the money, and took the bottle of cure potion. In the process of stowing it in her bag, Aeris caught a whiff of the strong-smelling liquid.

_I always hated how the stuff tasted, but it did wonders for your injuries._

Rising from where she had stooped to put her bag down, she slung her bag over her shoulder again and turned her attention to the other end of the square.

And her eyes met...

-.-

_She_ was here !

-.-

_He_ was here !

-.-

The rest of the world seemed to fade away as they stared into each other's eyes, each window to the soul wide open with amazement and shock.

Cloud was dumbstruck. It was her. It was actually her ! She was alive ! And he had forgotten how beautiful she was.

Aeris's heart skipped a beat. It took a second for it to sink in. She had found him...he had found her...they had found each other. What was he thinking ? Would he turn and run away ? Would he want to be with her ? The questions came back to her, along with her fears. But her fear was in her mind. It was with her heart that she acted.

_Seize the day,_ she thought.

Cloud watched her run across the square, towards him, and he saw a look of desperation mixed with hope and fear in her eyes, which never left his. He merely watched her come, unable to think.

She wound her way through the crowd, careful not to bump into anybody, but never taking her eyes off of Cloud. She had to make contact with him, to reach him before the initial shock became too much for him to handle.

He felt his psyche become overloaded. The world before his eyes became momentarily fuzzy. All except for her. She was perfectly clear and focused. He fought off a wave of dizziness, remembering what had happened when he had discovered her missing staff, and her footprint. She drew near, still running towards him. Cloud forced himself to focus; he cleared what was in his mind and let himself hope, let himself dream, and let himself love.

Aeris approached Cloud, never slowing, her heart beating furiously. She wasn't aware of what she was doing. She had to know. She couldn't live without knowing another second longer. Without thinking, she leapt into his arms.

_Will he catch me ?_

It was in the moment where she hung suspended in midair that all her fears doubts, inhibitions, prayers, hopes, dreams, and tears came back to her. They all flashed through her head like agitated lightning. But she was past the point of no return. Her heart lurched. It was everything or nothing. She had bet all she had on one chance, one hope, one dream.

Cloud caught her, and drew her up close against him into a tight embrace, burying his face in the curve of her neck and the cinnamon softness of her hair. He drew in a deep breath, savoring her aroma, the subtle floral sweetness that was her scent.

Aeris felt his arms wrap around her, felt him embrace her. She rested her cheek on his shoulder, the warmth of his body surrounding her. And she knew.

"Aeris, I'm..." Cloud finally managed, his voice choked with emotion.

"Shhh... I know," she whispered.

Aeris and Cloud fell silent, quietly cherishing each other's warmth. Each became aware of the other's heartbeat. Wrapped in a tight embrace, eyes squeezed shut in passion, each desired for nothing more than to be frozen in the moment for eternity.

After a long while, Aeris leaned back and stared into his mako-green eyes. She felt his hand caress her face.

"You're really here..." he said in amazement.

"Yes," she breathed, smiling radiantly, "very much so."

"How ?"

"I don't know exactly. And right now, I don't care."

Aeris tilted her head back, and drew him closer.

Cloud leaned in hesitantly; he had never had any confidence with girls. But then he realized who he was with. He knew that he need not fear any judgement from Aeris.

Gently, their lips met.

Cloud's blood ran hot, his heart fluttered loudly. Aeris found herself up on tiptoe. Joy surrounded the two, who were completely oblivious to the throngs of people passing them on either side.

The people, on the other hand, found a small bright spot in their usual routines, as they saw two young people, the bastions of hope for the next generation, so enveloped in joy and in each other. And that joy, in turn, was felt in small amounts by them. A kind of good sensation that said that better times were ahead.


	7. Epilogue

- Epilogue -

Cid slumped into one of the regal, high-backed chairs by the fire, tired from the day's work. His muscles ached with a pleasant exhaustion. They had accomplished a lot since they had all come to Nibelheim. Together with the old residents, they almost had the place in order again. The inn was looking good, thanks to a good critical eye from Vincent and Tifa, who had taken the project of remodeling the inn on themselves. He picked up the book he had found himself reading every evening in front of the fire, and settled in for an hour of peace and quiet.

He had just gotten through the end of the first paragraph when a loud beeping interrupted his thoughts. It was coming from behind the bar, and it took him a minute to recognize what the beeping was. Since the defeat of Sephiroth, they hadn't really had much use for the PHS, so they stowed it away behind the bar in case they ever needed it again.

_That could be Cloud,_ he thought.

Tifa came down the stairs, wondering what was causing the beeping, just as Cid came around the bar and picked up the PHS.

"Hello ?"

"Cid !" a joyous voice called, followed by repressed chuckling.

Cid wasn't sure, but it _did_ sound like Cloud.

"Cloud, is that you ?"

The chuckling became louder, and then burst out into raucous laughter.

Even Tifa could hear the gales of laughter issuing forth from the PHS's earpiece.

Holding the PHS well away from his ear, Cid said to Tifa, "He's either gone completely crazy, or he's found her. For both our sakes, I hope he's found her."

Cid turned back to the laughter on the other end of the PHS.

"Cloud...Cloud ! Get a hold of yourself !"

The laughter at the other end slowed, but only because Cloud was running out of breath.

"Where are you, Cloud ?"

It took a moment for Cloud to catch his breath.

"Kalm...why ?" he briefly started laughing again.

"We were worried, you frickin' idiot ! You just up and wander off like that and we're not supposed to notice your absence ? Mother Tifa has been pulling her hair these past two and a half weeks !"

Cloud just chuckled mindlessly.

"You want me to come and get you ?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, it's kind of late right now, so I'll head out early tomorrow morning."

"Okay, whatever."

It seemed to Cid that Cloud didn't really care if he was picked up or not. But Cloud _was _his friend, and a dear one at that, so Cid decided not to blow him off.

Cloud's laughter finally stopped.

"Oh, and Cid, one more thing:"

"What now ?"

"I've found her."

There was a moment of happy silence.

"Glad to hear that, buddy, glad to hear that."

There was a click as Cloud hung up. Cid set the PHS down, and stood a minute behind the bar in silence with a quiet smile of contentment creasing his rugged visage.


End file.
